Why this year's midterms are like 'Sharknado,' according to Jake Tapper

Today's News

In today's news, we've got a new trailer for the upcoming movie 'Spirited', featuring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds. We also have reports of NASA astronauts returning from the space station on a SpaceX capsule, and leading Palestinian factions signing a reconciliation deal.

In politics, we're seeing analysis of this year's midterms being compared to 'Sharknado', and the latest inflation data showing that Americans continue to be punished by rising prices. We're also seeing reaction to comments made by Anna Sorokin, who is currently in jail for defrauding people, as well as updates on the situation in Iran, where student protesters are being detained and sent to 'psychological institutions'.

In other news, we're seeing reports of a toxic chemical being found in sports bras, and a basketball robot that is learning to dribble. We're also seeing the release of a new song by the band Queen, and reports of Russia's 'kamikaze drones' being a new threat for Ukraine.

Outline

The new trailer for the Will Ferrell movie 'Spirited' features the actor getting back to his Christmas 'Elf'-ish roots, alongside Ryan Reynolds.
NASA astronauts are set to return from the International Space Station on a SpaceX capsule.
Leading Palestinian factions have signed a reconciliation deal, aiming to pave the way to elections.
Tapper: This year's midterms are like 'Sharknado' because of the high stakes and the chaotic nature of the campaigns.
The latest inflation data shows Americans continue to be punished by rising prices.
How much will Sandy Hook parents actually get from Alex Jones?
Regrets: Anna Sorokin tells Jake Tapper she has a few.
Iran sends detained student protesters to 'psychological institutions'.
Opinion: We received death threats for just trying to run a fair election.
'I'll stay here': Tucci witnesses 1,000-flower honey.
High levels of toxic chemical found in sports bras, watchdog warns.
3 takeaways from the January 6 hearing.
Singapore jails OnlyFans creator for defying police order to stay off the site.
More than 100,000 UK postal workers begin holiday season strikes.
After perfecting 3-pointers, this basketball robot is learning to dribble.
Queen release 'Face It Alone,' a rediscovered song featuring Freddie Mercury.
Russia's 'kamikaze drones': The latest threat for Ukraine.
Analysis: Russia is bruised. Can Ukraine land another blow?
OPEC could tip the world economy into recession, warns IEA.
Kim Jong Un talks up North Korea's nuclear threat after latest missile tests.
Hundreds killed in Nigeria floods, more than 1.4 million displaced.
19th-century Levi's jeans found in mine shaft sell for more than $87,000.
Dwayne Johnson teases another superhero return in 'Black Adam'.
It's time for employers to stop caring so much about college degrees.
Alex Jones' conspiracy empire hangs in the balance after jury's nearly $1 billion award to Sandy Hook families.
'Biophilic' skyscraper bursting with 80,000 plants opens.
New video shows Nancy Pelosi and other congressional leaders reacting to the Capitol attack.
The Supreme Court has rejected former President Donald Trump's request to intervene in a fight over Mar-a-Lago documents.
State Department: US citizen recently died in the Donbas region of Ukraine.
Ex-Trump staffer describes the moment she knew she was going to resign from her job.

Will Ferrell gets back to his Christmas 'Elf'-ish roots alongside Ryan Reynolds in new 'Spirited' trailer

Ryan Reynolds has the help of a holiday favorite to get into the 'spirit' of the season this year -- none other than "Elf" star Will Ferrell.

NASA astronauts set to return from space station on SpaceX capsule

NASA and SpaceX's Crew-4 mission will wrap up this week as the four astronauts, who've spent the past few months on the International Space Station, return home aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft.

Leading Palestinian factions sign reconciliation deal, aiming to pave way to elections

More than 15 years after a violent break between leading Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah, Algeria has brokered an apparent reconciliation, with the signing of a unification agreement announced on Thursday.

Tapper: Why this year's midterms are like 'Sharknado'

CNN's Jake Tapper explains why the 2022 midterm elections are shaping up to be one of the "weirdest and least predictable" midterms in modern memory.

Latest inflation data shows Americans continue to be punished by rising prices

American consumers continue to be punished by high prices, despite lower gas costs and unprecedented action from the Federal Reserve to tame inflation, according to data released Thursday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

How much will Sandy Hook parents actually get from Alex Jones?

Alex Jones now owes $965 million to eight family members of Sandy Hook shooting victims and a first responder. But it is far from clear how much of that money they'll ever see.

Regrets: Anna Sorokin tells Jake Tapper she has a few

Anna Sorokin, who rose to infamy by portraying herself as Anna Delvey, a wealthy member of New York elite, tells CNN's Jake Tapper that she regrets the activities that sent her to jail.

Iran sends detained student protesters to 'psychological institutions'

Iranian schoolchildren participating in street protests are being detained and taken to "psychological institutions" as violent crackdowns continue across the country. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh reports.

Opinion: We received death threats for just trying to run a fair election

If there is one group of Americans who understands the risks facing US democracy, it's election workers who are on the frontlines of managing American elections. Though this job has traditionally been a low-risk form of public service, since 2020 that reality…

'I'll stay here': Tucci witnesses 1,000-flower honey

Standing at a distance, Stanley Tucci watches as beekeeper Luigi Manias collects honey. Beekeeping has run in Manias's family since at least 1631. "Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy" airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET.

High levels of toxic chemical found in sports bras, watchdog warns

New testing on a variety of popular branded sports bras and athletic wear has revealed high levels of BPA, a chemical compound that's used to make certain types of plastic and can lead to harmful health effects such as asthma, cardiovascular disease and obesi…

3 takeaways from the January 6 hearing

The House select committee's final hearing on the Capitol Hill insurrection before the midterm elections Thursday used new testimony and evidence to demonstrate how former President Donald Trump knew he had lost the election but still went forward with effort…

Singapore jails OnlyFans creator for defying police order to stay off the site

A Singapore court on Tuesday sentenced an OnlyFans creator to three weeks in prison for breaching a police order to stay off the adult subscription site while he was under investigation for allegedly breaking obscenity laws.

More than 100,000 UK postal workers begin holiday season strikes

Postal workers in the United Kingdom are walking out during the busiest period of the year to demand higher pay as cost-of-living pressures mount.

After perfecting 3-pointers, this basketball robot is learning to dribble

CUE is an AI-powered "basketball robot" that made its way to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Now, its engineers are teaching the newest version how to dribble, and hoping to give it more dexterity so it can compete in skill competitions with top athletes.

Queen release 'Face It Alone,' a rediscovered song featuring Freddie Mercury

Queen released a rediscovered song featuring Freddie Mercury on Thursday, the band's first new track with the late frontman's instantly recognizable vocals to come out in more than eight years.

Russia's 'kamikaze drones': The latest threat for Ukraine

Ukraine has asked its allies to supply it with more air defense systems and ammunition after Russia stepped up its use of "kamikaze drones" in its brutal assault against the country.

Analysis: Russia is bruised. Can Ukraine land another blow?

The relative calm in Ukrainian cities far from the country's battlefields was shattered by two painfully familiar sounds this week: the ominous ring of the air raid sirens, followed by the eruptions of Russian attacks.

OPEC could tip the world economy into recession, warns IEA

Western governments are furious after OPEC+ decided last week to slash oil production by the largest amount since the start of the pandemic. They have good reason to be upset: The cartel's actions may tip the global economy over the edge, the International En…

Kim Jong Un talks up North Korea's nuclear threat after latest missile tests

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Thursday warned adversaries his nuclear forces are fully prepared for "actual war," a day after the isolated country's latest launch in a recent flurry of missile tests.

Hundreds killed in Nigeria floods, more than 1.4 million displaced

More than 1.4 million people have been displaced and about 500 people have died in some of the worst flooding Nigeria has seen in a decade, the country's humanitarian ministry said Wednesday.

19th-century Levi's jeans found in mine shaft sell for more than $87,000

A pair of Levi's jeans from the 1880s has sold at an auction in a small town in New Mexico for more than $87,000.

Dwayne Johnson teases another superhero return in 'Black Adam'

Did Dwayne Johnson just reveal a "Black Adam" spoiler?

It's time for employers to stop caring so much about college degrees

It's true that colleges and universities remain an important source of talent, but when a college degree becomes a box-checking exercise, it places a barrier between skilled workers seeking better jobs and employers in need of their talents, Ryan Roslansky an…

Alex Jones' conspiracy empire hangs in the balance after jury's nearly $1 billion award to Sandy Hook families